I hope you can film your classes at home, without going in to your workplace. One of my favourite singers, Leon Bridges, filmed his latest music video (Texas Sun) with an iPhone. It’s completely doable. You wouldn’t have to take any unpaid leave. Don’t the other staff members have the same concerns?

Yes, it is all up in the air, and it looks like after tomorrow I will be able to try and do lessons at home with a camera. It will be a new thing for me, but it’s better than being surrounded by people!

Just one day. I will just have to get through it. I am being picked up and taken home, and will be in a room by myself to prepare and then be filmed quickly. After that I should be at home. Quite relieved, actually!

How ridiculous that they want you to film your classes at the school. What is wrong with the government?? Stay home and film from home. I realize this is a big financial risk for you but it’s not worth your life.

I totally agree and have been in discussions and it has come out well – that is what I will be doing. Never done it before but I at least I can drench myself in perfume while I am doing it AND NOBODY WILL KNOW

Thanks. Still terrified about tomorrow but hopefully it will be fine. Masks, oils, sanitiser, no public transport, windows, minimal interaction (though it will be very weird just bypassing the staffroom and not going in to say hello – but then 20 people all stuffed in there, with only unpleasantly stuffing air conditioning, and them coming from Tokyo and so on I might just wave instead from outside and do my thang elsewhere. When you read all the horror stories of how people are coming down you simply don’t want to risk it.

My god I know. I am very worried about New York and everywhere else. Not sure that Donald’s comments about now blaming the World Health Government are too useful at this point (?!) – but he always has to lash out at someone.

It does really seem as though it is getting really quite serious in the USA right now though and I worry how bad it is going to get. I hope you are alright, still in isolation with nice wine and music etc and not contacting with anyone! That’s I will be doing from after tomorrow.

But also, it begs the question: ARE PEOPLE IN JAPAN NOT SEEING THE PICTURES/ STORIES FROM NEW YORK, SPAIN, ENGLAND? I genuinely don’t understand the mind set of going in to work. These pictures are horrifying. This is NOT SOCIAL DISTANCING. THIS IS NOT A LOCKDOWN OR STATE OF EMERGENCY!

It’s all about control and not wanting to give it up. Japanese businesses, with their ridiculous senpai/kohai hierarchical structures, are not going to have an easy time with such concepts as remote work/home offices. (To be fair, I do know some Japanese companies are doing remote work). I know it’s engrained in Japanese culture to lord over others in the work place. Too bad, so sorry (not sorry); as Sam Cooke sang: a change is gonna come….

Thank goodness you will be able to do this from home. That is a bit of a relief.
On the other hand, I think that Japan is totally screwed. I feel there are going to be dire consequences for this foolish decision to let people go back to work.
Please stay safe.

I know, right. How many other countries are letting people just behave as normal? why only this one? There is some strange kind of stubborn intractability. Don’t they see that shutting things down for a few weeks and getting on top of this properly is better than half-hearted measures?

The situation there really seems insane.
Over here it’s slightly better, but not everyone follows the rules and does what they should.
We are supposed to be social distancing, but the neighbors across the street keep having a bunch of people over everyday.
We have not left the house in over three weeks. We have been having groceries delivered, along with everything else.
I just don’t understand those that are so cavalier about this whole thing.

I don’t mind being in the house at all. I’m not losing my mind, becoming antsy nor am I bothered in any way. I love my home and take comfort in having this sanctuary.
I have been wearing all different scents from the collection. I wear at least two each day, morning and evening. Usually the EDTs for daytime and the EDP or extraits for nighttime.
I have been purchasing loads of classic vintage scents, many obscure ones, from eBay. We sanitize them thoroughly when they arrive.

I’ve been buying some vintage American fragrances, such as Enigma by Alexandra de Markoff, Cerissa by Charles Revson and Odalisque by Nettie Rosenstein. I purchased Fashion by Leonard, Cardin de Pierre Cardin extrait, Paradoxe by Cardin extrait (backup bottle), Choc de Cardin, a backup bottle of Fleches de Lancôme extrait, Eau Dynamisante by Clarins, a backup of Amerique by Courreges, Qui Pro Quo and Cabochard edt by Great, Vent Vert edt by Balmain, and many more.
My eBay list seems neverending, because there is always something else to add or replace one that is finished.
I am just crazy about vintage scents!!

After just over 2 weeks of UK lockdown, what I have seen of the intractability of some individuals’ mindsets, let alone a nation’s, frustrates and enrages, and reluctantly sets me thinking that anything less than enforceable 100% is lip-service. Please, please can I be totally wrong on that.

Unless Japan is somehow magically immune, I am 100% in agreement. We need a pure lockdown. Looking at those pictures we see that yes, restaurants and shops might be closed, but everyone is still going to their offices as usual and the trains are pure corona horror. This is what I have instinctively been refusing to do: something inside me just won’t let me.

Keep that something. Whenever someone gets too close, I tell them to back off. But in a confined space, where can even the most obliging person go? The numbers don’t add up. You have instincts for good reason.

I think so too. And it is this that makes my organs clench in pain of fury, as I feel like Cassandra or something all the time. Surrounded by oblivious people that won’t believe you. It is IMMENSELY frustrating.

Ha, I have a friend who turns 40 in a couple of weeks. For months, way before this shit hit all the fans, she has been predicting her birthday would herald a ‘huge shift in life’ and feeling utterly doomy. I think you’d have plenty competition as Cassandra!